Trouble-indicating system



Dec. 21 1926 1,611,445

E. E. HINRICHSEN TROUBLE INDICATING SYSTEM Filed April'ls, 1925 AIIHIH Patented FLT cc. El,

tense rarest QEGMQEQ EDWARD E. HINRICHSEN, 0F NEVJ' YORK, N. Y., ASSIQNGPQ, iEIt'lSNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, YORK.

INOOBPQEATED, A CORPORATIUN OF NEW TROUBLE-INDICATII-IG SYSTEIi-I.

Application filed April 15, 1925. SerialNo. 23,235.

This invention relates to telephone exchange systems and more particularly it has to do with telephone systems of the class wherein automatic switching apparatus is employed either entirely, or in part, for the establishment of the conversational connections.

In telephone systems, Where automatic or semiautomatic switching apparatus is em.- ployed for establishing conversational connections in response to predetermined impulses transmitted by a subscriber or an operator, it is found that the efficiency of operation of the system may be materially increased. by providing; a means by which the apparatus may be capable of registering two or more cases of trouble which may occur in completing; connections.

in positions where recording'senders are located at a central otlicc for receiving rec ords from calling subscribers lines or from operators positions to, in turn, exercise a control over the operation of a series of selective switches, it is found that the efficiency and speed of operation may be enhanced by providing a number of controlling mechanisms or markers also situated at the central oiiice and; separate from the recording senders. Bi part of the duties ordinarily performed by the sensors are delegated to these markers which receive a portion of the record from the senders to which they are connected and thereupon govern the selective ()pelittlOll of one or more of the switches. Other markers may be subsequently associated with the senders and in their turn govern succeeding switches to further extend the connection. These markers being equi *alcnt, are arranged so that any sender may select any one of the markers, according to their busy or idle condition at the time. The markers are also common to a. number of selector switches one or more switching stages and may be associated with any switch for the purpose of controlling; the same.

It is during the period that a marker is attached to a sender and to a selective switch that a substantial portion of the op orations, incident to the setting out the switch, takes place. In other words, the various sequential operations which go to make up the selecting, testing and seizing at the selective switch are ccomplished under the control of the marker and while it is attached. Due to the wide latitude which the marker has in its association with tion of the marker, it is particularly desirable in the event the marker encounters trouble, to ascertain the relation of the marker to the other apparatus and the point to which it has progressed at the time'of the trouble.

Heretotore, the means for registering a case of trouble in the marker was such that it a second case occurred while the trouble indicating means was engaged, the second case would be held in the marker for such time as is prescribed for its registration, before the marker could be released, and it the indicating means in the meantime had not become idle, the second ,case oi trouble would not be registered and the record thereof would be lost.

The object of the invention is therefore to obtain a complete record of all cases of trouble which occur in the markers durin the establishment of telephonic connections.

which is adapted to effect the selection of" any one of the indicating'devices and to cause the release of the marker whena case of trouble therein is registered.

A further feature relates to the use of a common recorder adapted to make a permanent record of all cases of trouble ocurring in the markers.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement of the system shown and described in the copendingr application of E. B. Craft and L. Keller, Serial No. 747,174, filed November 1, l92 l,'and in Patent No. 1,594,003, issued July 27, 1926 to W. WV.

arpenter, and a general-reference is hereby made to said disclosures for an understanding of the manner in which the various parts of the present system are arranged and the details of the operation wherever such ar rangements and details are hereinafter mentioned, but not particularly illustrated or described.

For the purpose of this case, it has been considered suiiicient to show only such part of the apparatus or mechanism as is necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention and to contine the detailed description of the apparatus involved to the controlling means for establishing the connections of the disabled markers to the indieating devices and the connections ot the engaged indicating. devices to the recorder.

The drawing, which is partly diagrammatical and partly in full detail, illustrates the trouble indicating control circuit and the means for associating it with the mark ers, trouble indicating devices and recorder.

General description of tile system and apparaters.

Inasmuch as it is hardly probable that any more than two cases of trouble will occur about the same time unless some eri-- ous trouble in the system is encounter which would then require special handling; it is believed that a description ot the invention as a duplex arrangement oi? indicating devices operating alternately, will be the most practical for a general understanding of the utility of the invention.

Referring now for the moment to the drawing, description will be given (it the general plan of the system. An idle niarl r of agroup comprising those diaemaunai cally shown as 11 and 12 is selected to govern the selective operation of one or more of the switches provided for completing a telephonic connection. it the marker is functioning normally the necessary time interval is allowed for the completion of the connection and then the marker releases in the regular manner, but should any trouble be encountered a circuit would be closed in the marker to initiate the operation oi the control, or connecting, circuit for the purpose of connecting one of the two tron-- ble indicating devices 51 and 52 (diagrammatically shown) to the particular marl which has encountered trouble. To t end, two groups of multi-eontact relays are provided in the control circuit and these groups are interconnected by a group of common leads such as 33. One group, com prising relays 18 and 19 may consist of any number of relays, each relay, being: individual to some particular marker, while the other group consists of two relays 16 and 17 which are individual to each of the indicating devices. lVhen a marker encounters trouble, a relay of each group is operated and the particular marker is connected over Detailed description of the operation.

In the establishment oi telephonic connections as described in Patent IZ o. 1,411-. 003, issued July 27, 1926, to 1V. V1 Carpenter, the markers may become disabled at any of the various points in their progress troin the time they are seized until they have com pleted the exercise of their control over the associated. switches and other apparatus. in order to illustrate the manner in which the trouble indicator control circuit, shown in. detail in the drawing, operates, it is assumed that marker 12 encounters trouble at any one of several of its di'derent stages of operation. When the time measuring device in the marker, shown and described in the above mentioned patent to iv. Carpenter, llo. 1,59%.003, counts the prescribed interval of time and the marker does not complete its operation in the meantime, battery is connected to the start lead 31 to close an operating circuit for rela lit, the circuit liieinptraceable from ground at relay 22, inner back contact or relay 15, through the upper winding of relay 111-, lowor contact of relay 2+1; lead 3%, to battery. llelay 1d operates and locks in a circuit extending through its lower winding and trout contact, through the winding ot relay to ground. Relay 15 op rates and opens at its inner back contact. the original operating circuit for relay 14 but relay 14; is maintained operated orer its lockin circuit. The operation of relay also clos an oncrating circuit for mnlti-contaet rela the circuit being traceable from ground at the armature and front contact of relay back contactof relay 31, through the wind inn; of relay 16 to battery. Relay 16 operates and prepares trouble indicator 51 for connection to marker 12 so that the trouble therein may be registered.

The operation of relay 16 connects the lowermost conductor of group 33 to ground, thereby closing a circuit extending; over coir ductor outer upper contact of relay 1-1, through the winding of multi-contact rela 19, to battery. Relay 19 operates and cons pletes the connection of the disabled mart 12 with the indicator 51, which is assuin..-

to be in the preferred position at this time, in View of the operated condition o-trelay 16, and the registration of the trouble in the marker is therefore displayed by lighted lamps in the indicator 51. The operation of relay 19 connects ground to the conductor next to the lowermost of group 33 to close an obvious operating circuit for relay 21, which operates and locks in a. circuit extending through its inner upper contact, conductor 86, to ground at the lower normal contact of relay 28, which locking circuit is also extended over conductor 40, through the windings of the registering relays (not shown) of the indicator 51, to ground, thereby holding the indicator relays operated until the recorder, or printer,-has completed the record. The operation of relay 21 also closes an operating circuit for relay 26, and the circuit may be traced from ground at the inner lower contact of relay 21, conducto-r 37, upper normal contact of relay 27, through the winding of relay 26, to battery. Relay 26 operates and connects the recorder, or? printer, 53 to the indicator 51 so that a permanent record may be had of the case of trouble registered in the indicator. This printer is common to both indicators 51 and 52 and should the printer be engaged in recording a case Of trouble at a time when a second case of trouble. is registered, the second indicator will hold its registration of the second case of trouble until the printer is free to make the record. The operation of relay 21 likewise closes an operating circuit for relay 22, the circuit being traceable from ground at the outer lower Contact of relay 21, upper normal contact of relay 30, through the winding of relay 22, to battery. Relay 22 operates and closes an operating circuit for relay 2 1, the-circuit being traceable from ground, front contact of relay 22, conductor 38, inner upper contact of relay 141, make-before-break contact and through the winding of relay 2 1, conductor 3 1, to battery in the marker. Relay 24: operates and locks in the circuit extending to ground at its upper armature and opens its own original operating circuit at its make-beforebreak contact.

The operation of relay 26'connects ground at the lowermost conductor of group 39 to the winding of relay 28 which consequently operates, thereby preventing indicator 52 from being connected to the printer while a record of the registration on indicator 51 is being made. The operation of relay 28 also opens its make-before-break cont-act and substitutes the ground at relay 32 in the printer circuit and the locking circuit for relay 21 is maintained closed.

l/Vhen relay 24 operates, as described above, it opens the locking circuit for relay 14tand the latter relay returns to normal, thereby causing the release of relay 15. The

release of relay 14 also opens the operating circuit for multi-contact relay 19 which is associated wit-h the marker which en countered the trouble and relay 19 is deenergized thereby permitting the marker to be released and to be available for other calls. The release of relay 15 clos' d at its outer contact, a circuit extending over the outer upper contact of relay 21, through the lower winding of relay 30, lower contact of relay 29, through the left-hand winding of polarized relay 81, to battery. Relay 30 operates and locks in a circuit extending to ground at the outer lower armature oi relay 21. The left-hand winding of polarized relay 31 is designed to attract its armature in the circuit just traced, and the operation of this relay opens the operating circuit for relay 16, causing it to release and disconnect the indicator 51 from the conductor 35 group 89. Furthermore, the operation of relay 31 prepares a circuit which. is ar 'anged to connect indicator 52 when the same marker, or another marker, encounters a subsequent case of trouble. The polarized relay is arranged to maintain its armatures in either an attracted or repulsed position, until the current which is passed through the winding thereof changes its direction. This arangement permits the indicators 51 and 52 to be selected alternately.

The release of the marker-removes the bet tery supply from the locking circuit for relay 2st and the relay returns to normal. The operation of relay 30 opens the operating circuit for relay 22 and the latter relay releases thereby providing ground potential for an operating circuit for another marker which. may encounter trouble. The opera tion of relay 30 also opens the circuit extending through the right-hand winding of relay 31 so that the current passing through the left-hand windingcannotbe interfered with while the record of the trouble is being printed.

lVhen the record of the trouble has been printed, relay 32 in the printers circuit is arranged to operate momentarily to open the locking circuit for relay 21 and the latter relay releases which in turn causes the release of relays 26, 30 and 28 and opens the circuit extending through the left-hand winding of relay 31. Relay 31, however, in becoming deenergized, does not affect the position oi its armature, the armature remaining connected to the front contact of the relay.

When a second case of trouble is to be recorded, battery is connected to the start lead, which in'this case is assumed to be conductor a1, and relay 18 is operated, causoperated, the operation of relay 15. Inasmuch as the polarized relay 31 has its armature now closed to its associated front conas in the first case when relay 1% ii I) iii) till

tact, a circuit is closed to operate the multicontact relay 17 and the indicator 52 associated with relay 17 is connected to the conductors 33. The operation of relay 17 ettects he operation of multi-contact relay 18 which is associated with the marker encountering the second case 0t trouble and the marker is therefore connected to indicator 552 which registers the trouble. The operation of rel l5. 1'? and 1S ell ects the same c lc cit op rations in their respective ly associated relays as was erected in the relays associated with relays 16 and 19 hercinbe ore described.

Should the second case of trouble come in bei ore the printer is finished recording the first one, relays l3, 1?, 15. 18, anc would operate in their regular sequence but inasmuch as relay 28 would still be in an operated condition for the first case of trouble, the operating circuit for relay would be open a the upper back contact of relay 2S and therefore relay could not be operated, thus preventing re comic ting o'l indicato to the printer at this line. The operationot relay 28 has, however, pre pared a circuit at its upper front contact, which would now be completed by the operation of relay 20, the circuit extending from grount relay the inner lower contact 0t 90, conductor upper front contact of lay 2h, conductor 3, to a special alarm s nal (not shown) which would now operate to inform the attendant that a case '5 trouble is registered at indicator 52. The operation of relay 22 would eli'ect the operation of re la and 18 would release. [is soon as the record of the first case had been printed, relay would operate momentarily and cause the release of relays 21. 26, 30 and 28. The release of relay 30 would permit the operation of relays 2-9 and 31 and the release of relay 28 would close the operating circuit for relay 25 which would now operate to permit the recording of the second case ot trouble. The operati circuit for relays 29 and 31 could be traced from ground at the outer armature of relay to, outer upper contact of relay 20, through the lower winding of relay 29, lower back contact of relay 30, through the right-hand winding of relay 31, to ba'tery and relay 31, having its armature in an attracted position atthis time, as h rein before stated, would repel its armature, inasmuch as a direction of the current is reversed in the relay in passing through the right-hand winding. The armature in its repelled position prepares a circuit at the back contact of the relay for the engagement elf indicator 51. for the next cese ot' :ron le e3nroun ered n a ar rer. lt 'iore re n. that v and consequently relays 13,

the select-ion of indicators 0 and is alternate. Certain changes 111 the details of construction herein described will be obvious to those skilled in the art and accordingly, it is not intended to limit the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. lln combination, a plurality of switch controlling mechanisms, a plurality of indicating devices arranged to register the sequence of operations of said mechanisms, :1 single recorder, means for connecting any one of said switch controlling mechanisms to any of said indi-ating devices, and means for connecting said recorder to any of said indicating devices for the purpose of producing apermanent record giving intormation showing the sequence of operations.

in combination, a plurality of switch controlling mechanisms, a pair of indicating devices arranged to register the progress oi? said controlling mechanisms, and a single recorder common to said controlling me 'hanisnis and said indicating devices arranged to make a permanent record of the pro; 'ess ot' said controlling mechanisms.

3. in c nnbination, a plurality of switch cont-rolling mechanisms, a pair of indicat ing devices arranged to register the progress of said controlling mechanisms, a single recorder adapted to be selected and operated by either of said indicating devices and means for selecting the indicating devices alternately.

4:. In combination a plurality of switch controlling mechanisms, a pair of indicating devices arranged to register the progress of said controlling mechanisms, duplex means for selecting the indicating devices in a predetermined order, and a single printer adapted to be automatically selected and operated by either of said indicating devices for the purpose of printing a permanent record of the progress of said mechanisms.

5. In combination, a plurality of switch controlling mechanisms for governing a series of operations of switching apparatus, a pair of indicating devices arranged to register the progress of said controlling mechanisms, indi 'idual means for connecting said controlling mechanisms with either of said indicating devices, and a single printer for making a permanent record showing which controlling mechanism and indicating derice are intercomiected, and the progress made by such controlling mechamsm.

6. In combination, a plurality of switch controllirn mechanisms, a pair or. indicating (lGVlCt adapted to register the progress of said controlling mechanisms and arranged to be selected alternately, means for releasing the controlling mechanisms as soon as the progress thereof is registered in the indicating device, a single printer common to both indicating devices, and means for holding the registration of one device While the printer is engaged in recording the reg1stration of the other device and permitting the registration of the first mentioned device when the registration of the second indicating device is completed.

7. In combination in a telephone system, a plurality of switch controlling mechanisms for governing the operations of the switching apparatus involved in extending connections, a plurality of indicating devices adapted to register the progress of said connections, a plurality of means for connecting any one of said devices to any. one of said controlling mechanisms if said mechanisms fail to function properly and means for producing a permanent record giving information of the different degrees of progress made by said mechanisms.

8. In combination in a telephone system, a. plurality of markers for governing the operations of switching apparatusinvolved in extending connections, a pair of indicating devices adapted to register the progress of said connections, duplex means for selecting the indicating devices in a predetermined order and connecting said devices to any one of said markers if such marker fails to function properly, and a single printer for producing a permanent record giving information of the different degrees of progress made by such markers.

9. The combination in a telephone system of a plurality of markers for governing the operations of switching apparatus involved in extending connect-ions, a pair of indicat ing devices adapted to register the progress of said connections, means for selecting said indicating devices alternately and connecting said device to any of said markers if such marker fails to function properly, and a single recording device for producing a permanent record giving information of the different degrees of progress made by said markers.

10. The combination in a telephone system of a plurality of markers for governing the operations of switching apparatus involved in extending connections, a pair of indicating devices adapted to register the progress of said connections, means for selecting said indicating devices alternately and connecting said device to any oneof said markers if such marker becomes disabled and fails to function properly, means in said first mentioned means for releasing the marker when the progress thereof, up to the point Where trouble occurred, is registered, a single recorder common to both indicating devices for making a permanent record of the connection in any disabled marker, and other means in the first mentioned means for delaying, if both indicating devices are registering trouble, the recording of one case of trouble until said recorder has completed the record of trouble registered on the indicating devicein the preferred position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 10th day of April A. D.. 1925.

' EDlVARD E. HINRICHSEN. 

